Certain editions of Windows Server have a customized name. For example all editions of Windows Server to this date had a Windows Storage Server edition. Other examples include Windows Home Server and Windows HPC Server.

Users of Windows Server may choose to deploy either on-site or using a cloud computing service. Each provides different advantages.

By delegating the managing and upkeep of the server to a cloud computing service such as Microsoft Azure[5] or Amazon Web Services,[6] users get the benefit of paying monthly based on usage rather than a large fixed cost. Furthermore, infrastructure tends to be more reliable and it is easier to scale up as necessary. However, buying and running a server in-house may be a better choice in certain cases when it is more cost effective. Other use cases such as using a Windows server to manage client computers in a facility are also appropriate for running a physical server.[7]